Online video streaming has become extremely popular for users, allowing them to view high-quality video content on a desktop computer, laptop/tablet computer or other mobile device (e.g., a mobile phone such as a smart phone). Attempts are often made to anticipate a user's access to, or desire to access, one or more videos at a future timepoint. For instance, users may often surf video sites through reference (or recommendation) links, inasmuch as a content provider offers such links alongside a video that a user has already chosen and may be watching.
It is often recognized that there is a much greater likelihood of a user viewing a video suggested or offered through such links as opposed to one that would need to be accessed through another mechanism (e.g., typing out another search string). However, such video objects pointed to by the recommendation links are usually brought about through a standard and non-customized protocol, and considerable resources can be ultimately wasted if indeed one or more users choose not to view videos that are accessible from such links.